In the construction of room dividers utilizing room dividing panels, it is highly desirable to be able to provide such panels with light-tight interfaces between adjacent panels, and an acoustic barrier between the panels. Various techniques have been proposed in the prior art for providing light-tight interfaces between panels. While many of such prior proposals have been relatively successful, there often are drawbacks associated therewith. For instance oftentimes the sealing structure is external and visible. Some proposed constructions have male and female components which complicate assembly and manufacture problems, and others require the addition of accessory elements in order to effect the sealing function.
According to the present invention an edge structure for a room dividing panel, and a room dividing panel combination and method of manufacture and utilization thereof, are provided that overcome most of the drawbacks inherent in prior art proposals. According to the present invention a simple room dividing panel edge structure is provided which is formed from a single extrusion requiring virtually no assembly labor to put into use. All panels to be assembled with the edge structures according to the invention have identical components, no male or female components being provided. The panels may be assembled together so that they are flush, with no external or protruding components, and there are no loose parts or accessory elements that must be added by the assembler. In general, the structure and method according to the present invention provides for the assembly of room dividing panels together so that a light-tight and acoustic barrier interface is provided therebetween, yet the panels present a clean, aesthetic appearance, and can be manufactured and assembled in a simple and inexpensive manner.
According to one aspect of the present invention, an edge structure for use with a room dividing panel for providing a light-tight interface between adjacent panels is provided. The structure includes a unitary extrusion, elongated in a first dimension, of flexible material and comprising three basic components. The first component is a hollow anchoring portion adapted to anchor the extrusion in a channel in a room dividing panel, the anchoring portion also elongated in a second dimension transverse to the first dimension. The second component comprises a pair of support portions extending outwardly from and on opposite sides of the anchoring portion, and adapted to engage and overlap an edge of a room dividing panel. The third component comprises a pair of flexible lips, each lip having one end thereof remote from a support portion and a section thereof remote from the anchoring portion, and extending toward the other of the support portions, and terminating in a free end unconnected to any other structures. The free ends of the lips are spaced from each other in a third dimension perpendicular to both the first and second dimensions, and are spaced from support portions in the second dimension. The hollow anchoring portion comprises first and second side sections with a bottom section joining the side sections, and the side sections being unconnected opposite the bottom section. A plurality of cooperating openings are provided in the anchoring portion side sections, the openings extending in said third dimension, and for receipt of one or more pins of panel interlocking hardware.
According to another aspect of the present invention, a room dividing panel is provided. The room dividing panel comprises a body portion including an edge elongated in a first dimension, with means defining a channel in the edge extending in a second dimension perpendicular to the first dimension, and extending along the edge in the first dimension. An edge structure is provided for cooperating with the edge to provide a light-tight engagement between the edge and a cooperating edge of an adjacent panel. The edge structure comprises a unitary extrusion, elongated in the first dimension, of flexible material (a plastice). The edge structure comprises a hollow anchoring portion elongated in the second dimension and disposed within the panel edge channel; a pair of support portions extending outwardly from and on opposite sides of the anchoring portion, and engaging and overlapping the panel edge; and a pair of flexible lips, each lip having one end thereof integral with a support portion at a section thereof remote from the anchoring portion and extending toward the other of the support portions and terminating in a free end unconnected to any other structures. At least one panel interlocking hardware pin is disposed in the channel, extending in a third dimension perpendicular to both the first and second dimensions, and supported at least in part by the extrusion hollow anchoring portion. The room dividing panel may be provided in combination with a second, substantially identical panel. At least one panel interlocking hardware latching structure extends between aligned pins of the panels disposed in the respective channels, and holds the panels together so that the free ends of the flexible lips of both panels are moved in the second dimension and the lips are pressed together in light-tight sealing relationship.
According to another aspect of the present invention a room dividing panel combination is provided which comprises a pair of panels. Each panel comprises a body portion including an edge elongated in a first dimension with means defining a channel in the edge extending in the second dimension perpendicular to the first dimension, and a pair of side faces; at least one panel interlocking hardware pin disposed in the channel and extending in the third dimension perpendicular to both the first and second dimensions; and an edge structure. The edge structure is elongated in the first dimension and disposed in the channel and extends outwardly therefrom in the second dimension, and covers and overlaps the panel in the third dimension. The edge structure comprises means for providing a unitary integral structure that cooperates with the like edge structure of the other of the pair of panels to deform in the second dimension and provide a light-tight interface between the panels with the panel side faces in-line and flush and without an intervening ridge along the in-line side faces thereof. At least one panel interlocking hardware structure extends between aligned pins of the panels and effects interlocking of the panels together with the edge structure thereof deformed in the second dimension to provide a light-tight interface therebetween.
The invention also contemplates a method of constructing a room dividing panel. A panel body portion is formed, including an edge elongated in a first dimension. A channel is formed in the body portion edge, the channel extending in a second dimension perpendicular to the first dimension and extending along the edge in the first dimension. An edge structure is provided by extruding from flexible plastic material a unitary extrusion including a hollow anchoring portion, a pair of support portions, and a pair of flexible lips. At least one panel interlocking pin is disposed into operative association with the edge structure anchoring portions, and then the anchoring portion of the edge structure is affixed in the channel so that the support structures cover and overlap the panel edge and so that the hardware pin extends in a third dimension perpendicular to both the first and second dimensions. According to the present invention a method of utilizing a pair of room dividing panels, constructed as outlined above, is also provided. The method is practiced by disposing the lips of the edge structures of the panels in abutting relationship, and then inserting a panel interlocking hardware structure into operative association with aligned pins of the panels so that the free ends of the flexible lips of both panels are moved in the second dimension and the lips are pressed together in light-tight sealing relationship, with the panels physically, releasably attached together.
It is the primary object of the present invention to provide a simple, effective, and easy to manufacture and use edge structure in combination with a room dividing panel, for providing a light-tight aesthetic interface with adjacent panels, and methods of manufacture and utilization thereof. This and other objects of the invention will become clear from an inspection of the detailed description of the invention, and from the appended claims.